After graduating from high school in Burlington, ND, Jack attended Fargo Business College earning a degree in accounting and started his career with Nash Finch meat company. In 1943, Jack joined the Army Air Corp where he served as a navigator on B-17s with the 15th Air Force in Italy. Following discharge, he returned to Minot and married Katherine Pedersen on January 15, 1946. Jack worked for John Morrell & Co. for 32 years and was the branch manager in Fargo, ND, at the time of his retirement.

After retirement Jack and Kay moved to Palm Gardens in Mesa, AZ, where Kay died. Jack enjoyed the companionship of Alice Mutchler and Elaine Jensen, as well as his many friends and neighbors in Palm Gardens. Jack moved from Arizona in March of 2017 to live with his daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and Walt Erikson, in Liberty Lake, Washington.

Jack was a talented pianist and will be remembered for sharing his music with family and friends. It was always fun when he sat down to play the 12th Street Rag or Alley Cat.

A memorial service will be held at 11 am on Saturday, March 24th at Melcher Mortuary, 6625 E Main St., Mesa, AZ, followed by a private burial in the Mesa Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Boys Town (boystown.org), 200 Flannagan Blvd, PO Box 6000, Boys Town, NE, 68010-9988 or Paralyzed Veterans of America (pva.org), 801 Eighteenth St. NW, Washington DC, 20006-3517.